In many countries, the number of households which own a personal computer (PC) is increasing rapidly. For many reasons, the use of PCs has been limited in many homes to playing games and word processing. The reasons may include limitations of the PC in processing power, storage capacity, and bandwidth. Further, many people are uncomfortable using complex technology and avoid using computers altogether. In addition, PCs tend to be physically suited for a desk and not for a family room or bedroom. PC electronics tend to be designed to interface with office systems and not with home communication systems, and there is generally no convenient mechanism for purchasing, loading, storing and organizing traditional entertainment content using a home PC. It is desirable, therefore, to allow conventional PCs to be used in a home environment for more applications than in the past, more easily, and by a greater number of people.
Because the home is commonly a place to relax and enjoy oneself, televisions (TVs) and stereo systems tend to be focal points at home, since these devices are entertainment oriented. Even most technophobes are comfortable operating a TV or stereo system. Consequently, by allowing televisions, stereos, and other consumer devices to be more seamlessly connected with conventional PCs, the PC can become a more integral part of activities in the home. Technologies have been developed which enable a TV to be used as a display device for a personal computer. However, these technologies are not designed to allow multiple users at multiple TVs to use a PC independently of each other. Other technologies have been developed to allow people to access the Internet using a conventional TV as a display device. However, such technologies do not leverage the tremendous technology base that already exists in software and hardware for PC platforms.
Thus, it is desirable to provide a technology which allows the processing power of a conventional PC to be integrated seamlessly with a TV as a display device in the home environment. It is further desirable to allow multiple home users to independently use a PC operating as a server using TVs as display devices. It is further desirable to have such a technology which can make use of communications infrastructure already in the home.